Spanish grammar - Using llevar with durations of time

Using llevar with durations of time

In Spanish, the verb llevar can be used to express how long something has been happening. This usage emphasizes the duration of an action that started in the past and is still ongoing.

• The pattern for ongoing actions is: llevar + [time expression] + [gerund]

• The pattern to express how long something has 'not' been happen-ing is: llevar + [time expression] + sin + [infinitive verb]

-- The word sin is a preposition that means 'without'.

In Spanish asking 'how long since...?' always uses the negative formulation with sin - literally ‘how long haven’t (you)..?’.

Examples:
	Llevo dos años estudiando español. (I) have been studying Spanish for two years.
	¿Cuánto tiempo llevas trabajando aquí? How long have (you, familiar) been working here?
	Llevamos cinco meses viviendo en esta casa. (We) have been living in this house for five months.
	Ella lleva tres semanas sin ir al gimnasio. She hasn't gone to the gym in three weeks. gimnasio (m) means 'gym'
	Llevan un año sin hablarse. (They) haven't spoken to each other for a year. hablarse means 'to talk to each other'
	Llevo media hora esperando el autobús. (I) have been waiting for the bus for half an hour. media hora (f) means 'half an hour' esperar means 'to wait'
	¿Cuánto tiempo llevas sin ver a tu amigo? How long has it been since (you, familiar) saw your friend? The negative formation with sin to ask 'how long since...? ' Literally: 'How long has it been without seeing your friend? ']
	Llevo seis meses sin comer carne. I haven't eaten meat for six months. mes (m) meas 'month'
	Llevamos toda la tarde hablando de eso. We have been talking about that all afternoon. toda la tarde (f) means 'all afternoon'
	Lleva mucho tiempo sin descansar. He hasn't rested for a long time.
	Llevan años trabajando juntos. They have been working together for years.
	Llevas dos días sin comer nada. (You, familiar) haven't eaten anything for two days.
	Llevamos una hora buscando las llaves. We have been looking for the keys for an hour.
	Lleva media vida sin ver a su familia. He hasn't seen his family for half his life. media vida (f) means 'half his life'
	Llevas mucho tiempo sin llamarme. (You, familiar) haven't called me for a long time.
	Eso significa que llevo estudiando español tres años. That means (I) have been studying Spanish for three years. significar means 'to mean'
	Llevaba durmiendo tres horas cuando el perro ladró. (She) had been sleeping for three hours when the dog barked.